Monday, March 23, 2009

Brandon Costner, N.C. State's leading scorer this season, will not return to the basketball team for the 2009-10 season, N.C. State announced Monday. Reserve guard Trevor Ferguson will also forego his final season of eligibility.

Costner, a fourth-year junior, will graduate in May and go through the NBA Draft process. The forward averaged 13.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 30 starts this past season.

"... I just feel like it is time to move on and pursue my dreams of playing professionally," Costner said in a statement released by the school.

State will also free up another scholarship with Ferguson's decision. Ferguson, a reserve guard, will earn his degree in the summer and move on with life, according to a statement provided by N.C. State on its web site.

Ferguson, a junior who started his career at Pittsburgh in 2005, appeared in 19 games, with eight starts, and averaged 5.5 points per game. -- J.P. Giglio

3
comments:

What has happened to that program? It seemed like they were on the right track, with their ACC championship game appearance a couple years ago. I initially chalked up their regression to divisiveness caused by J.J. Hickson, but this Costner news is more troubling, as he was there before Hickson and seemed to be a leader. I can't imagine that he is so deluded to think that he is a first-round pick.

What happened to the program is we're in a transition from the Sendek era. Sendek's players never really fit into what Sidney Lowe was trying to do, which was be more uptempo NBA offense rather than Sendek's traditional "weave & heave". I enjoyed Costner's time at State, but am looking forward to a fresh start next year for Sid and am excited about what we have coming back. Go Pack!

Honestly, this is probably for the best for the program. I loved Costner and he has made vast improvements, but Eddie is right, he was a leftover from Sendek. I am proud of him for stepping up to be a leader this year. If he is graduating in May anyways, I think it's perfectly normal for him to take the next step. And if he's graduating, how is he a fourth year junior? Your class status is based on credit hours. You can't graduate when you're a junior... Totally confused.I also assume Ferguson leaving has much to do with whatever reason it is that he sat on the bench for the end of the season. It was first reported that he was benched for breaching team academic policy. Any word on why he didn't play again after that?

About this blog

David Scott has been with the Observer for 28 years and has written about ACC, SEC and other college sports in the Charlotte region. He covers Wake Forest, South Carolina and college soccer for the Observer and (Raleigh) News & Observer.

J.P. Giglio covers the ACC for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1997, and the Observer.

Andrew Carter covers the North Carolina Tar Heels for the Observer and News & Observer.

Laura Keeley covers the Duke Blue Devils for the Observer and News & Observer. Follow her on Twitter.

Chip Alexander covers the Carolina Hurricanes and college football for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1979, and the Observer.

Luke DeCock has worked for The News & Observer since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist for the Observer and News & Observer in August 2008.

Tim Crothers is an author and former senior writer at Sports Illustrated who is joining the sports staff to write a regular column during the rest of the college basketball season.